A 5-unit property will be hard to accurately predict, but the first thing you need to do is understand the vacancy rate for the area.

My main goal is to build high quality, predictable passive income streams for the long term.  

What you really need to do is basically make a plan when you would sell the property and predict the sale price target.

While she was shopping around trying to buy in Phoenix, which we predicted would grow considerably, she needed the extra cash to get into the home.

It is very hard to predict tomorrows value in this current market.

I am searching rental properties and realized zillow provides rental estimates and prediction of home values in the next year, etc. not sure how reliable are these info.

I have always learned two things from the economists that are quoted in these types of articles:1) They have predicted 10 of the last 2 recessions2) A broken clock is right 2 times a dayDo your own research and make sure the deal works for you.

I know you cannot predict the market, but does anymore from Dallas feel that maybe I should start in a less competitive or developed?

I would make the bold prediction that Hays county will become the Orange county of central Texas over the next few decades.Hopefully you got something out of that.

Rents will come down and students will be able to rent closer to campus and won't have to go out beyond Wescott.You would be well within the predicted OK zone but you can count on rents going down.